


Grunt Unleashed

by KittenBlueStudios



Series: Mass Effect 3 One-Shots [2]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Comedy, Funny, Humor, Minor Shepard/Garrus Vakarian, Non-Sexual, Nudity, traumatized crew
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-10-30 21:07:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17836214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittenBlueStudios/pseuds/KittenBlueStudios
Summary: Athena Shepard was a lot of things; a strong warrior, a devoted lover, an invaluable friend.However, sometimes, just sometimes, her crew thought she was just plain stupidly crazy. Or stupid and crazy. Or one or the other. This...was one of those times.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Birthed from a facebook convo with my bestie about why Grunt was fully dressed in a tank. 
> 
> I'm sorry.

  
Athena Shepard was a lot of things; a strong warrior, a devoted lover, an invaluable friend.   


However, sometimes, just sometimes, her crew thought she was just plain stupidly crazy. Or stupid and crazy. Or one or the other. This...was one of those times.

 

After Jedore had been defeated, Athena had taken the ‘pure’ Krogan—his tank sat in the Cargo Hold and she was just itching to see what a ‘pure’ Krogan was like. Plus, you couldn’t just put a do not push button in front of her—she’s going to push it. The curiosity was _killing_ her. 

  
So when she went back to the Cargo Hold, she knew exactly what she was going to do. She was going to push that damned button.

 

“The subject is stable, Shepard. Integration with onboard systems was seamless.” Edi said, and Athena smiled.

 

“I’m going to open to open the tank, Edi. Be on stand by!” Athena said gleefully. She was excited. She was more than excited. She was _ecstatic._

 

“Cerberus protocol is very clear regarding untested alien technology.” Edi warned and Athena shrugged. 

  
“He’s either a powerful addition to the crew or..well...a time bomb. I would rather deal with it sooner than later.” Athena said, tapping her chin. “Aren’t you a little curious? I mean, this is an organic with no organic experience! Don’t you want to see what he’s like?”  


Edi paused, it was interesting, at times, how she seemed to evolve with thought processes. As an AI she was sometimes very unemotional, but other times it seemed she was just as curious as Shepard. 

  
“The data might be useful. Very well, Shepard. The controls are online. The switch...and the consequences...are yours.” Edi said, and Athena grinned.

 

She stepped forward, activating the control panel and quickly tapping out the commands. The greenish hued fluid drained away, and the Krogan dropped to the floor with a thud, gasping his first breath of air. Slowly, he stood, blinking his eyes as if to clear his vision. Striking sky blue eyes focused on her and narrowed. Athena’s brow twitched when she realized something she really should have noticed before.

 

He was naked.

 

Naked as the day he was born.

 

Well, maybe that was kind of today.

 

Crap.

 

Suddenly, he growled and lunged forward, pinning her to the wall behind her. She grunted at the impact, but glared at him. He was Krogan alright.

 

“Human. Female. Before you die, I need a name.” 

  
“I am Commander Shepard of the Normandy.” Athena replied, gripping her pistol in her hand and aiming it at his soft underbelly. 

  
“Not your name. Mine. I am trained. I know things...but the tank...Okeer...couldn’t implant connection. His words are hollow.” The pink skinned Krogan said, his silvery back plating shifting slightly to rise and fall back into place as his irritation grew. His eyes shifted elsewhere, as if in thought. “Warlord, legacy, grunt...’Grunt’ was among the last. It has no meaning. It’ll do.”

 

Did he think he had no meaning? In a way, as he was, maybe that was true. He was bred to do as Okeer wanted, but that hadn’t taken. He was his own Krogan. Grunt needed a purpose. A place in this universe. 

  
“I am Grunt. If you are worthy of your command, prove your strength and try to destroy me.” The Krogan said after turning his eyes back to Athena. 

  
She cocked her head. “You wouldn’t prefer ‘Okeer’ or ‘Legacy’?” She asked. She needed to make sure.

 

“It’s short. Matches the training in my blood. The others are big things I do not feel. Maybe they fit your mouth better.” Grunt said adding a little pressure to the arm that held her in place. His lip curled in agitation. “I feel nothing for Okeer’s enemies. I will do what I was bred to do—fight and determine the strongest—but Okeer’s imprinting has failed. Without a reason that is mine, one fight is as good as any other. Might as well start with you.” 

  
“I have a good ship and a strong crew—a strong clan. You’d make it stronger.” Athena said, wondering briefly if she should shoot him now, but decided that her curiosity over this Krogan was much more important. 

  
“If you’re weak and choose weak enemies, I’ll have to kill you.”   


“Our enemies are threatening whole colonies—civilizations. No worries about that.” Athena said with a smirk. 

  
“Hmph. That is...acceptable. I will fight for you.”   


“Glad you saw reason.” Athena said, lifting her pistol up for him to see. Grunt snorted with amusement as he dropped his arm, allowing her to stand on her own. She put her gun away with a grin.   


“Offer one hand, arm the other. Hah. Wise Shepard. If I find a clan...If I find what I...want, I will be honored to eventually pit them against you.”

 

Her grin faded when she remembered...he was still naked. As he began walking to the door, no doubt to explore she stopped him.

 

“Hey, hold on. Lemme make a call before you go wandering around.” She said, bringing up her omnitool and scrolling through the contacts given to her by Garrus. Finding the one she wanted, she tapped it.

 

Wrex’s face appeared on the holoscreen of her omni-tool. “Shepard! My friend. You look well for dead, Shepard, should’ve known the void couldn’t keep you.”

 

“Wrex! Heard you were on Tuchanka, doing the Krogans some good.” Athena said with a grin. “Not the reunion I exactly wanted, but do you know where I can get some Krogan armor...preferably close or in the Imir System and not on Korlus. Blue Sun assholes are down there. We already tore a chunk through them, would rather not do it again.”

  
“Why Krogan armor? Tryin’ to replace me Shepard?” Wrex said, humor in his voice. Athena chuckled.

 

“Well...I kind of have a naked Krogan on the ship--”  


“If I’d known you had a thing for Krogan, I’d have done you good!” Wrex said with a booming laugh. Athena rolled her eyes.   


“No...Just, no. I’ll fill you in later...but not that exciting.”

 

“Hah! Exciting is right! Hm...There’s a small refuel station near Quodis. Ships usually use Quodis to discharge their drive cores, so some put up shop on the station. Radio them, they usually have a supply of Krogan merc armor. Sending you the coordinates. And...uh...well, nevermind.”

  
“What is it, Wrex?”

  
“Don’t try to put him in your flimsy fabrics, Shepard, we tear right through them.” Wrex said, scratching at his headplate. Athena raised an eyebrow in question. “Asari talked a good talk, and was damn better in bed than I thought she’d be. Broke the bed, a wall, and if I remember right, another wall after that. After everything was said and done, I couldn’t find my armor. Tried the sheets to cover up, didn’t work out. Walked naked through half of Illium.”   


“Uh...well then. Thanks for the warning.”

 

“No problem, Shepard. And if you change your min--”  


“No, Wrex. Just...no.” Athena interrupted, rubbing her forehead as he laughed heartily.   


“Heh heh heh.” Grunt’s slower laugh echoed off the walls and Wrex smirked.   


“I’ll let you get to it, Shepard. Come down to Tuchanka soon.”  


“Right. I’ll talk to you later, Wrex.” With that she shut off the connection and looked over her shoulder. “Edi, let’s get to that refuel station.” When she turned her head back, Grunt was out the door. “Shit.”   


She went to follow, but the doors closed before she could get there, and when they reopened she saw Grunt walking into the elevator...and Garrus walking out. Garrus stopped in the hall and looked at her.   


“Athena. Sweetie. Honey. Tell me you didn’t just let a naked Krogan loose on the ship and I was hallucinating?” His voice was hopeful, but the talon running over his fringe told her he was very uncomfortable.   


“Uh...well...we’re on the way to pick him up some armor...” Athena said sheepishly, walking over to him. “Maybe we should stop him?”  


“I’m pretty sure it’s too late for--” Garrus was cut off as Miranda’s voice suddenly popped up through Shepard’s omnitool.

 

“Commander. I was initially calling to reprimand you over the tank...I do hope you’re going to stop the Krogan from traumatizing the crew.” Miranda said, her voice wavering slightly.

 

“Uh..yeah...coming right up. We’re on the way to buy him some armor...”  


“SHEPARD!” Joker’s voice cut off Miranda’s on the omnitool as Shepard stepped into the elevator with Garrus who had a hand over his eyes. “COULD YOU GIVE A GUY SOME WARNING?! He’s pink— _everywhere.”_

 

“Sorry! Tell Edi to warn the crew--”  


“Doing so now, Shepard.” Edi said, her voice amused. “Miranda has issued a ship wide announcement that all personnel report to their quarters unless they are needed to fly the ship.”  


“Oh, good, then--” Athena started as Kelly’s voice came through.

 

“I...hadn’t been expecting such a lovely Krogan to wander through. The color--”   


“I know, Kelly. I’ve got it covered.” Athena said as she and Garrus stepped out of the elevator. “Do you know where he went?”  


“I last saw him going to the cockpit—I was so shocked!”

 

“He isn’t up here anymore.” Joker said, and Shepard walked over and looked down the hall to the cockpit. No sign of Grunt. Where did he go? Garrus frowned, looking around next to her before he hissed.   


“Shepard, he’s getting on the elevator!” Garrus said and Shepard groaned.

 

They ran over only for the elevator to close on them. Athena dropped her face into her palms. “Garrus, we have a naked Krogan tank baby walking around scaring the crew.”  


“Did you just call him a tank baby?” Garrus said, amused.

 

“Well, he was just kinda born? Wait. Does that make us parents?” Shepard thought, tapping her chin. Garrus snorted.   


“Grew up awful fast.” He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her into the elevator as it opened. “First we have to teach him about clothes, you know, like responsible parents.” 

  
“JESUS ALMIGHTY. Commander! The new Krogan just came through!” Gabby’s voice echoed out of Athena’s omnitool.

 

“WHAT THE FUCK, SHEPARD, THE FUCKING PINK—FUCK! WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST—FUCK!” Jack yelled, causing Garrus and Athena to both jump at the volume.

 

“Don’t remind me! I was tying my shoes! I looked up and saw his daddy-bags _right in front of my face!”_ Ken said, choking on his words.

 

“You are all bein’ fuckin’ stupid. It’s just a naked Krogan.” Zaeed said.  


“Did the new guy almost t-bag you?” Jacob asked, amused.   


Garrus raised a brow plate. “What do tea bags have to do with this?”

 

“Do not answer that.” Ken said.

 

“I agree, that is an action we don’t need spreading to other races.” Gabby added, and Athena covered her mouth with a small giggle.

 

“It’s putting your fucking junk on someone’s face.” Jack was pleased to answer—her voice shifting to highly amused.

 

“ _Why_ would humans _do that?!”_ Garrus asked, horrified. Athena laughed.

 

“The correct answer is: because men have strange motivational drives.” Kasumi supplied. “Also, I have told Edi to inform Grunt that there is a map of the ship in the Cargo Hold and he doesn’t need to wonder around anymore.”  


“How did you get there without the elevator?” Athena asked and Kasumi chuckled.

 

“Ventilation shafts. I didn’t want to see anything I didn’t have to. You’re welcome.”  


“Fucking finally.”   


“Thank you, Kasumi!”

 

“You could have done that sooner! I didn’t need to see so much...pink.”  


“Kasumi, you’re a fuckin’ life saver.”   


“Ms. Goto, I’m glad your skills have proven useful.”   


Athena sighed, looking over at her turian lover. “Can we just...go to sleep until we get to the station?”  


Garrus chuckled. “You still have to talk to your new tank-baby about clothes.”  


“ _Lovely.”_

 

“Suggest locking doors. Prevent unwanted sightseeing.” Mordin’s voice came in and Athena groaned.

 

“Did he come up to see you?” She asked and Mordin gave a soft annoyed huff.

 

“Please. Knew this was likely. Krogan restless. Prone to movement. Shepard impulsive. Door has been locked since tank came aboard.”  


“Why didn’t he warn the rest of us!?” Joker asked, and Athena laughed.

 


	2. Grunt Likes Things

Grunt huffed as he hunched over his omnitool. His teachings outside of war was few, but he knew how to put letters together enough to form words. The Turian--Shepard's bondmate--had helped him learn a few useful things on his omnitool, like how to access the extranet. 

And how to search for things.

SEARCH: great wars

His eyes widened as a slew of wars came before him. There were so many! He tried to read a few of them, only to find that he already knew most of the Krogan ones from history. Human wars were...interesting. They were almost Krogan in a few. Bombing a full city on their own planet! He read names here and there, but the names were foreign and he was sure he could not pronounce them. Asari historical wars were few and far between--it seemed to him they were just a bunch of blue pyjacks! He was about to look into Turian wars when a voice seemed to ghost across his mind. 

Genophage. 

It seemed to whisper to him, coaxing him to type the word in. 

SEARCH: ~~genofage~~ krogan victories

Take that! He wasn't going to be a thrall to Okeer's teachings! HAH! Look at the amazing wars here! 

He paused. He knew the Great Battlemasters, but who were those behind them? He, in essence, was working behind Shepard, as part of her krantt, so it gave to reason there were others in this position before as well. In fact, Okeer had been called a Great General. He knew this. It was taught to him in the tank. 

Search: ~~okeer~~ great generals

It wasn't Okeer he wanted to know about! It was the others, the ones that were worth something! Heh Heh Heh.

Oh. Wait. Shepard said...something about knowing things about your enemies? Ah...he supposed they all came from Tuchanka right?

Search: toochanka  

Wait. That wasn't right. 

Search: ~~toochanka~~ tuchanka

That's right. The Turian taught him how to spell it right. He huffed with pride at the sight of the war torn planet, knowing he would love it there one day. Once he killed all the Collectors! Huh? Krogans gathered under...Urdnot Wrex?

Search: ~~Urnot Wrex~~ Urdnot Wrex

He worked with Shepard too! He looked big! And strong! It made his boil! He stood and beat his chest with his fists a couple times, the vibrating echoes of pain felt GOOD! He growled low, hopping from foot to foot. He wanted to fight! He wanted to be so big! Stronger than Shepard! He charged the wall and bounced off the metal surface with a low grumble. He'd seen other Krogan go through walls! Why couldn't he!?   
  
He charged again, and met the same result. He huffed and paced the room.   
  
"Grunt, please refrain from damaging the ship. Organics can not survive in space without the proper equipment." Edi's voice rang out and he gave a snort. 

"Then we just have to get stronger!" He said, beating his chest. A ping on his omnitool stopped him and he gazed down at it. 

Article: Krogan Attempt Space Travel and Fail! 

Grunt plopped down again and began reading the article. Ah. That's why they can't survive in space. Heh Heh Heh. It's like peanut butter in zero-g. Heh Heh Heh.


	3. Mother

Grunt shuffled his feet, it had been three days since he'd completed the rite with Garrus and Shepard at his side. He had come to the mess hall for food, but ended up hearing something strange.

 

The human crew members--the ones he hadn't spoken too, as they were not warriors--were speaking of Shepard being his mother.

 

He supposed it was as close to right as it could be. She clothed him, made sure he was fed properly, taught him things. Her mate, as well, took up teaching him and sparred with him when Shepard was busy. 

 

He had parents that weren't Krogan. Battlemaster was his mother. 

 

He looked up to see her coming around the elevator, and nervously, he went to grab his food. Battlemaster had gotten crates of food recommended for Krogan by Urdnot Wrex. 

 

Now he was eating like other Krogan, instead of devouring vast amounts of human food to get the nutrients he needed. He sat down and almost jumped as the woman affectionately pat his shoulder, walking by and grabbing herself a drink. 

 

She sat down across from him, sipping her hot drink carefully. While he ate, he studied her. She was, of course, strong. Wrex had even laughed, saying she was getting mating requests. She was Krogan enough. She'd birthed him, though it was an odd birthing. He hadn't hatched from an egg. 

 

"Grunt, everything okay?" She asked, cocking her head and staring at him with those green eyes of hers. Garrus had blue eyes, like him. And Shepard was almost pink--like he was. And he had silver plating--much like the turian. He blinked slowly.

 

"Battlemaster, are you my mother?" He asked, and Shepard smiled.

 

"I'm as close to a mother as you have, I guess it's natural for this to come up. You know you were made by Okeer, but he has no hand in making sure you have the skills to really survive outside of battle. Me and Garrus talk about you like our child, so, yeah, you're my boy." She pat his hand before taking a sip of her drink again. He fidgeted. "It doesn't change anything, Grunt, it just means you realized the kind of relationship we have. That's all."

 

"Do I call you mother?" He asked and she shook her head.

 

"I'd be honored, but that's up to you. You're an adult now, by Krogan standards." She said, and smiled at him. "Though, I like battlemaster, too. It makes me feel tougher." She said, flexing an arm and laughing. 

 

"Hrm… Is the Turian my father, then?" He asked. Athena chuckled at this, standing as he finished his meal.

 

"I think we should go ask him that, don't you?" She said, and Grunt shifted uneasily. "Don't worry about it. Come on."

 

She led him towards the main battery and was greeted by the sight Garrus, who was currently wearing his civvies from the waist down and was tapping away at his console. "Hey, you need something?" He asked over his shoulder. He turned his head and saw Grunt trailing behind her and waved towards the box of scrap parts to the left of the door. "Sit down, you two. I'll be just a sec."

 

Grunt curiously peered at the console--it was something he liked watching the Turian do, these calculations. He called it calibrating. Grunt liked that numbers could make the big guns shoot harder. Battlemaster--mother--sat on the box of tools and sipped at her drink calmly. He shuffled over and sat next to her. 

 

"You can watch, Grunt, math makes you think and keeps your mind sharp." Garrus said and Shepard smiled next to him. 

 

Grunt scratched his headplates and stood, moving to look at the console again. It was a few minutes before Garrus ran the simulations program, and the Turian turned, moving his gaze from Grunt to Shepard and back. "What'd you want to talk about?" He asked Grunt, who blinked slowly at the Turian.

 

"If Shepard is my mother, are you my father?" He asked, and Garrus nodded. 

 

"I asked her if we had a Krogan kid the day she got you out of the tank. I haven't seen anything to say otherwise." Garrus said, shrugging. "You're even filling mandatory military times by Turian standards. The only way we aren't your parents are the actual genetics, Grunt. Me and Athena would have to adopt if we want kids, anyway."

 

"Don't you go thinking about more, now, big guy. We've got our hands full with this one and the Collectors." Athena groused, smiling. 

 

"What do you say, Grunt, you want a brother or sister?" Garrus asked and Grunt thought about it. 

 

"Both." He said and Athena sighed. 

 

"You had to ask him? Now we have to find us two more kids." She winked at Grunt. "We'll probably get you a brother and sister later on, Grunt. For now we have to make sure our son get some more skills so he can help us with the new kids. We might even get a baby or two. You don't want to hurt a human or Turian baby because you're so strong, right?"

 

"I would not hurt my brother or sister." He huffed and Garrus chuckled next to him.

 

"It's not so simple. Human babies are squishier than humans are now, and they can't even hold their own heads up." 

 

Grunt blinked. "I will have a human brother or sister?"

 

"And a Turian. Hell, maybe we'll get us a Quarian. We'll see how life goes." Athena said and Grunt squirmed. 

 

"How do I not hurt them?"

 

"The biggest thing to master is controlling your strength." Garrus said, winking at Shepard. "This will also help you if you decide you want a not-so-krogan mate."

 

"We're not marrying off our kid already! He's only 9 months old, and you're already trying to give him away to other women!" Athena griped, standing and scratching at Grunt's headplates the way he liked. With them still growing and his skin still exposed, the itch was annoying. Mordin said he couldn't do much about it, just let it grow.

 

"I don't want any mates yet. I still have a lot to do before I get a mate." Grunt said and Shepard nodded, patting his back. 

 

"That's right! Besides, you're going to live a long, long life. I'm only here for a hundred more years, give or take a few decades. Garrus, too. You should spend as much time as you can with us."

 

"I guess I'll have to change our retirement plans, I don't know how well Grunt would do in a small house on the Beach. Especially if we're going to attempt turian-human hybrids."

 

"Garrus! Don't talk about that in front of the kid! Don't listen to him, biology will prevent us having weird hybrid babies."

 

Grunt chuckled.

**Author's Note:**

> Birthed from a facebook convo with my bestie about why Grunt was fully dressed in a tank. 
> 
> I'm sorry.


End file.
